Rotary cut-off valve.



Patnted Aug. '7, I900.

l mnmm L. A. COOPER.

ROTARY CUT-OFF VALVE.

(Appligation filed Oct 27, 1899 IHIII l (No Model.)

lln'rrnn STATES event thence.

LESLIE A. FOOPER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUS J'ITS, ..'\SSlG. T(f)lt ()l Tllllti) l'() ALVAII II. SABIN, OF NEW YORK, N. "i".

ROTARY CUT-OFF VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 655,608, dated August 7, 1900. A li ti fil d Oc ober 27,1899. Serial No. 734,903. (No model.)

To nix [Mini/ii 2'! 11mg con/car..-

ilc it known that I, LESLIE A. COOPER, a citizen of the United States otAmerica, and a residentof Springfield, in the county of IIampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in R0- tary Cut-Oil? valves and Governing Mechanism Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved governing-valve for engines, the same having been designed more especially for rotary steam-engines oi the concentric-piston and rotary-abutment type.

The invention more particularly relates to valve and automatic governing appliances in combination therewith to serve under normal running conditions of the engine to vary at each rotation of the valve the area of the steam-inlot-port'opening,s0 that at each cycle or working stroke or impulse of the-engine there will be the greater freedom of steam-admission into the steam chamber or cylinder at the initial portion of the working cycle or stroke, the SiQtull-lDQIGSS lessening FWEIItl the end of the citc or period in which the entering steam is a e to drive the piston in its working direction, and, furthermore, so that when acentriiugal force is developed in the governing appliance by an excessive running of the engine the rotary valve will have its position varied to lessen the normal maxi mum of uncovered inlet-port opening or in extreme cases to entirely close the same.

An important object of the invention is to include in the governor and valve mechanism means whereby the position of the valve in relation to the steam-inlet port or ports may be regulated to give, as desired, a greater or lessened maximum initial uncovered port area, as circumstances may render desirable, and another object is to so adapt themeans for adjusting the governor-controlled valve that the valve maybe most easily and quickly adjusted while the engine is running.

Another object of the invention is to provide valve appliances constructed with relation to double-ports both continued in a common uniting steam-passage which opens into the steam-chamber of the engine, so that the l g l l l l i section Fig. 2 is taken. s a perspectiveview of the valve. Fig. is a perspective on Fig. 2 indicates the plane valve is. at all times subject to an equilibrium of stcampressurcs, and thus it will have a perfectly-balanced rotary motion without liability of being pressed harder agatwst one side of the casing within which it rotates than against another. In the accomplishment of this object the Wearing of the valve will be reduced to a minimum, and whatever slight wear does result from protracted use of the engine will be uniform at all parts of the pcriphery of the valve and the internal wall of the cylindrical chamber in which it is ro-- tationally fitted; and another object of the invention is to so construct the novel ill 'itliitlllr ism that it will be so simple and practical and efiicient as to be of unusual desirability for utilization on engines of various types.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts and devices and the construction of certain of the parts, all

substantially as hereinafter describcchand set forth in theclainis.

The valve and governing i'nechanism in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which--- Figure 1 is in part a side eievation of a i tarry-piston steam-engine and in part a seetional longitudinal view through the portion of the casing in which is comprised the valve and governing mechanism and adjusting devices therefor. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-seotion on line 2 2, Fig. 1. The section-line 1 l on which the view of the valve constructed in somewhatinodified form.

In the drawings, a represents the steanrin let passage, which opens into the top or side portion of the cylindrical chamber l), which is formed in a part of the engine-casing or hollow body A,Whieh comprises the two partially-- cylindrical spaces A and A in which the retary piston p on the piston-shaft l5 and the rotary abutment D on the abutment-shaft O are provided. Within. the wall constituting the boundary of the chamber h is the d, the terminals of which constitute the ports 61 diopenin g at opposi to or suitably-separated points into the said chamber I), while leading from said chamber is the opening or passage cl, which constitutes the inlet-port for the steam-chamber 1 within the engine-casing.

is constructed with the two half-hclixesff,

arranged as shown in Fig. 3, and the valve is adjusted adjacent the ports (P61 somewhat as shown in Fig. 1. The steam entering the chamberb will pass out through the ports (I d with a greater or less freedom, according to the rotational position of the said valve G-that is to say, when this "alve has such a position in its turning that the less prominent portions of the half-helixes at'the end are, next to the ports (Z a greater portion of the port area, it not the whole thereof, will be uncovered by the valve and open for the admission of steam thereinto than when the valve has been so much farther turned as to bring the endwise prominent portions of the half-helixes opposite the ports, and of course it will be apparent that the valve may be so moved endwise as to give a greater or less normal maximuinof open-port area, or when the valve is excessively bodily moved to the leftward, as viewed in Fig. 1,.the ports may be covered and closed by the port-ion of the valve not penetrated by the end helixes during the entire rotation ofthe valve.

The principal object of providing two ports (Z arranged in separation and correspondingly providing the end edge of the valve with two halt-helixes (instead of providing one port and one helix at the end of the valve which might extend entirely around the latter) is to insure opposite outlets of the steam, so that there will be an avoidance of pressure which would preponderate at one side of the valve to crowd it against the wall of its casing, and thereby result in a very hard running and extensive wearing of the valve and the adjacent wall of the casing.

The'rotary motion is imparted to the valve by means which do not interfere with its endwise automatic motions as imparted thereto by the centrifugal governor G.

The valve has the internal spider-supporting hube, by which it is secured to the valve rod or stem g, which extends longitudinally within the chamber Z), one end of the said stem playing through the axially-bored end head 10 for said chamber Z), while the other end of the stem enters the sleeve or hollow hub provided with the extension-shaft 13, which passes through the other end head ll of the said casing Z). The said shaft 13 as thereon the gear ll, which, through the intermediate gear 15, is'in mesh with the pinion. 16 on the rotary abutment-shaft C, which otary abutment-shaft is, through its gear 17, lrivcn by the gear 18 and caused to have its motion in unison with the gear 18. The pinion or small gear-wheel 16 being hall the diameter of the gear-whccl 1t on the shaft 13 causes the shaft 13 to rotate once to two rotations of the rotary abutment-shaft and of thepiston-shaft, and the connection between the shaft 13 and the valve is insured by the two longitudiually-extending studs or dowels 19 19, which project from the flange or extension 20 of the said part 12 and which engage the spider-arm 6 The rotary motions of the shaft l3.and hub 12 impart corresponding'rotary motions to the valve and its stem, the one end of the latter being journaled within the hub 12, and yet it is plain that the valve can have independent endwise motions.

The valve-stem has at its end portion which is projected outwardly beyond the casinghead- 10 the fixed collar 22, having the cars 23 and suitably therebeyond the sleeve 24,

through which the extremity of the valve- I stem is passed and relatively to which it is unsecured.

25 are the governor balls or weights having the toggle-like arms or links 26 26,whereby they are connected to the ear-pieces of both the collar 22 and the sleeve 24. Between the sleeve and the collar is the spiral spring 27.

The centrifugal governor J is inclosed within the globular or other suitably-formed casing 2', having hollow hub-like opposite extensions and 2' the one, 2' being internally threaded and screw engaging the threaded extremity at the outer end of the closing plug or head 10 for the aforesaid chamber b. The opposite hub-like end of the globular casing is internally screw-threaded, receiving therein the externally-screw-threaded sleeve 28, in which the sleeve 24: of the governor is rotatably titted, but constrained against endwise motion.

The sleeve 2thas the flange 29, which rests on the seat 30 at the base or inner end of the threaded opening, formed axially within the outer end of the plug, in which screws the externally-threaded sleeve or thimble 32, having the central aperture to permit the end play of the valve-stem g.

3% represents the supplemental shell or casing held by the coupling 35 at the end of'thehubbed portion 2' of the governor-inclosing case 2', and through the end hub 31 of the said casing-section 34 is screw-engaged the threaded shaft or screw 35, which is constructed with a polygonal or anysuitable form of head,

whereby to easily turn it.- l

The inner kerfed end of the screw 35receives therein the flat block or blade '36,which also similarly engages in the kerfed end of the sleeve 32, so that when the said screw 35 is turned it, threading through the part 31, will cause an endwise motion of the screwunited parts 28 and 32, which constitute an adj ust-able journal for the rotatable sleeve 24 of the centrifugal governor.

Steam admitted through the pipe a into the chamber 12 will pass out of the ports (Z d to the conhunting-passage in common thereto and through the inlet-port if of the cylinder or pressure chamber 1 and drive the pistonwing around. The valve rotating once to 5 every two cycles of the pistonving will in every half-rotation thereof, (it heingassumed that-the valve is properly adjusted relatively to the piston-wing) immediatelythe most lon git-udinallycxtended portion of the inclines 1o fhave passed the ports (Z insure the most unrestricted passage of the steam into the engine-chambcrPat theinstantthepiston-wing passes the inlet-port d and as the pistonwing revolves in the continuation of the cir- -cular stroke thereof the steam-ingress into the engine-chamber will be lessened, and such ingress will be the least or will be momentarily discontinued while the piston-wing is passing from the exhanstport (indicated at m) around past the inlet-port (Z This insures that while the wing is passing from the exhaust around to a position past the inletport, there will be an avoidance of a reversing pressure against the piston, and, fur hermore, there will be a lessened liability or a prevention 01": the steam entering the engine'chamber P being dissipated, without action on the piston, by passing through the exhaust-port in the time of the passage of'the o wing from said latterport around to the steaminlet port, and the valve opening to the maximum and then gradually lessening the area of the openings of the said pert-s d" (Z also establishes the conditions for the most eliicient as well as economical action of the sleam for expansive use in the engine-cl'mmber against the win s hand extremity to tin ind end ofthe ports (i ad that the rotary motions s g L is i sloping a centrifugal a, the-gr r riioz' illcause,undernormal runr m: of the engine, the valve to m s z iewhat farther endwise to the leftward than that indicated, so that there may he an absolute cut oti' of the steam at the pr ,er sir in Mich cycle of the piston wing.

hxc

tomatic tion of the valve as to derive the cutt at the steam from entrance into the en hie-chamber or the restriction of its entrance thcreint-o in such manner as to reestablish the normal running conditions.

It will be manifest that the position of the valve may be adjusted lon udinally indepehdently of the automatic regulating movements thereof as impartial. thereto by the governor. This may be done bylooscuing the loch-nut -10 and turning the screw 3 which insures also the correspondi screw-united parts 28 and f2- rotataoly con nected with which and constrained for endwise movement therewith is the Bloc-Vi: it of l ing to each port 2Z leading into the chamber, which projection has a widt so turning of the the governor; the endwise nation of the governor-sleeve Will, through the governor-arms or links, correspondingly endwise move the other governor-sleeve 2i, which is pinned to 7c the valve-stem, and will thereby similarly move the valve. The valve G being constructed with an opening leading through it from end to end insures that it will always remain in an equilibrium of the steam-pres- 7 sure within the valve-chamber b, and thus the valve is relieved of having any end thrust imparted thereto by the steam, whereby the delicacy of its controlling action,a's explained, will be affected, and the valve constructed as shown is relieved of the liability of having steam-pressure brought against it in any direction, whereby it would be crowded to create friction against any part of the wall of the chambers in which it is located.

The valve shown in Figs. 1 and 3 is constructed in the preferred form when employed in an engine of the general class indicated, but of a compound or double-expansion type, for under ordinary running conditions it is not considered essential or preferable to absolutely cut ofi the steam at the latter part of the stroke, for the reason that the incoming steam entering the primary chamber at the interval in which the piston-wing is pass- 95 ing from the exhaust-port around by the inlet-portif permitted to freely pass out of the exhaust-port for the primary chamber will only have the effect to augment the pressure in the secondary steam-chamber of the engine, and this valve of the preferred form shown in Fig. 3 is therefore especially applicable in the compound rotary engine which forms the subjectmatter of an application for patent filed by me simultaneously herewith under Serial No. 734,902; but where the engine of the rotary-abutment and conce t trio-piston class comprise but a single steanr pressure or steam-expansion chamber and in order to assure the positive cut-oil in the interval during which the piston-wing is passing from the exhaust-port at around past the inlet-port d I prefer to provide the valve with a longitudinal projection f corn-spend valve cient to close the inlet-port adjacent to wh it has its location in the stated interval intervening between the exhausting and the next intake of steam.

Having thus described my invention. Wise I claim, and desire to secure by Let tars l a out, is--- l. Thecombinationwithacyli drie "v her having a steamdnlet and a port it therefrom, of a valve rotatabl" titled chamber and endwise adjustable therein, havingacylindrical periphei 11d constructed at its end which is adjacent the said port with portions which at diiierent places around the valve have ditlrrent degrees oi longitudinal extension, uonautomatic means giving it any given normal relation to saidport which non-automatic means is accessible for manual operation at the exterior of the apparatus, an automatic governing device operating to change the position longitudinally of said valve, and means for rotating the said valve and the governing device which cooperates therewith.

The combination with a cyl ind rical chamber having a steam-inlet, and a port leading therefrom, of an externally-cylindrical valve rotatably fitted and endwise movable in said chamber, non-automatic means for longitudinally adjusting said valve for giving it any desired normal relation to said port, an automatic centrifugal governing device operative to change the position longitudinally of said valve, and means for rotating said valve and said governing device.

4. The combination with the valve-chamher I) having an inlet-o ening, and having a port as (1 of the valve rotatably mounted in said chamber and having its en formed with portions which at different points around it have varied degrees of endwise extension and provided with an axial stem fitted to move endwise, a centrifugal governor arranged about and also connected with said stem, means for endwise adjusting and restraining in its adjustment said valve-stem, and means for rotating said valve and its stem and the therewith-connected governor.

5. The combination with the valve-chamher I) having an inlet-opening and aport'd leading outwardly therefrom, of the valvehaving its end constructed inclined and operating adjacent said port (Z and comprising a valve-stern with which cooperates a centriful governor, a rotatable part, having arotating engagement with the valve, and relative to which the valve may independently longitudinally move, and means for rotating said rotatable part,substantially as described.

6. The combination with the valve chamber Z) having an inlet-opening and port d of the valve-having its end formed inclined and operating adjacent said port, and comprising a valve-stem with which cooperates a cylindrical governor, the rotatable shaft 13 with -whieh is united the sleeve-section 12 having radially-located endwise-extending pro ec-. tions 19 engaging to' rotate and endwise movable relativoly to the valve, and means for rotating the said shaft 13, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the'chamber I) having the inlet-port and one or more outletports, and having closing appliances in its opposite ends, of the valve G having the stem g projecting to play endwise through the one end-closing wall of said cliamber,the inclosing device 1 and the governor therein having a connection with the valve-stem and having the sleeve 2% provided with the shoulder 35, the screw-united parts 28 and 32in which the governor-sleeve has a shoulder engagement whereby it may rotate independentlyof, but move in unison with said screw-united parts,

devices for imparting a longitudinal adjusting motion to said screw-united parts, and

means for rotating the valve.

Signed by me at Springfield,Massachusetts,v

this 23d day of October, 1899.

LESLIE 'A. COOPER. \Vitnesses:

WM. S. BELLOWS, M. A. CAMPBELL. 

